Max Fried vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Max Fried has played 2017–present as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Max Fried (2017–present) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Max Fried has 97 wins and 1,156 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Max Fried, with 3.01 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP? Max Fried, with 1.14 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Max Fried's 1,192.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Max Fried's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Warren Spahn, with 63,558 career Pitcher PIV to Max Fried's 26,852.
Max Fried
Warren Spahn
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 2010s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Max Fried is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Max Fried | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 245 |
| Games | 220 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 203 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,156 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,026 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 94 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,192.1 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.73 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.49 | Leads: 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn outpaces Max Fried 63,558 to 26,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Warren Spahn played 22 seasons to Max Fried's 9, while Max Fried carries the higher per-season figure (2,984 to 2,889). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Max Fried — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Warren Spahn leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Max Fried owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Max Fried and Warren Spahn careers compare
No season is shared: Warren Spahn played 1942–1965, Max Fried 2017–present. Warren Spahn has the far longer record, 750 games against 220 across 9 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Max Fried are ERA (3.01 to 3.09), WHIP (1.14 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (8.73 to 4.43). By rate, Max Fried struck out 8.73 and walked 2.49 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46. Max Fried was mainly a starter (203 starts in 220 games), and Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). Complete games (6 to 382) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Max Fried is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Max Fried vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Max Fried or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Max Fried in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Max Fried, with 3.01 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Max Fried's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Max Fried's 1,156.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Max Fried, with 1.14 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.